Mercurial > hg > rsof
changeset 340:aa9bb951af40
getting started on input to QiS-CG
author | Henry S. Thompson <ht@inf.ed.ac.uk> |
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date | Tue, 26 Mar 2024 21:43:18 +0000 |
parents | 57652a738b1a |
children | 2f4dc99bddc4 |
files | QiS/BYM-governing-document-revised-min34-BYM2014.pdf QiS/Draft Governing Document March 2024.pdf QiS/QiS Draft Governing Document January 2024.pdf QiS/QiS Gov Doc covering letter 240106.docx QiS/What_are_QiS.txt QiS/~$S Gov Doc covering letter 240106.docx |
diffstat | 6 files changed, 144 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-) [+] |
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--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/QiS/What_are_QiS.txt Tue Mar 26 21:43:18 2024 +0000 @@ -0,0 +1,144 @@ +A bit of history, to set the scene. + +The General Meeting for Scotland (GM) mailing list were told +(2023-11-17), in regard to + + "(1) The possibility of merging our existing 6 charities into a + single body, Quakers in Scotland. + + "(2) How we might organise all our concerns and worship more + effectively as a single charity." + +that + + "The first step for (1) is to agree a governing document to replace + the six comparable documents that apply to our existing charities." + +and + + "Friends will hear more requests soon to join in important + discussions relating to (2)." + +I've searched my inbox without success for any request to "join in +important discussions relating to (2)" until, possibly, the invitation +from QiS-CG (2024-03-11) to two "information and discussion sessions +on progress with work towards having a single body and charity for +Quakers in Scotland". + +However the cover letter from QiS (2024-01-06) sent to SESAM Trustees +says + + "The Options for Scotland group [proposes] that we form a single + charity and that we form a single body. The idea of a single body + clearly needs more work to discern what this might look like. It + will take time. That idea is not part of what we are asking you + about here." + +In fact the document laid before us in the special Area Meeting on +15 January (Draft of 2023 12 29c.docx) had a lot to say about the +body. Or did it? As I read it at the time it did't clearly +distinguish between the charity and the body, using the phrase +"Quakers in Scotland" in what I found to be confusing ways. + +A new draft (Draft of 2024 03 21.docx) has just been made available, +with only modest changes from the earlier draft. I'll take it as +definitive with respect to what we will have before us on 6 April. +It hasn't changed much, if anything, of what I've found that makes me +uneasy about agreeing to adopt it. + +More background: What do we already have as models for how charities +and their trustees work. I'm reasonably familiar with two examples, +which guide my thinking in this matter. + +1. The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain, and Britain + Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), + Charity number: 1127633 + +The governing document for the latter charity +(https://www.quaker.org.uk/documents/bym-governing-document-revised-min34-bym2014) +begins with the following definitions: + +*Definitions* + + a. The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain refers to + the church in England, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands and + the Isle of Man, including all its local meetings for worship and + its constituent meetings for church affairs as well as all their + work [referred to below as *the Society*]. + + b. Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends + (Quakers) [*Britain Yearly Meeting*] refers to the centrally held + and managed policy, property, employment and work of the charity + constituted by this document. + + c. Yearly Meeting in session [*Yearly Meeting*] refers to the annual + assembly that is open to all members of the Society. + + d. Area Meetings are the main local meetings for church affairs and + these are the level of the Society at which individual membership + is held. Each Area Meeting is a separate charitable entity and + may be registered as such with the Charity Commission. + + e. _Quaker faith & practice_ is the current edition of the Book of + Christian discipline of the Religious Society of Friends + (Quakers) in Britain + + f. Meeting for Sufferings is the standing representative body of the Society. + + g. The term Friend refers to a member of the Society. + +* Highlighting added + +Note that there are two clearly distinguished entities, "the church" +and "the charity". The charity is governed by the above referenced +governing document, the church by the Red Book. + +Subsequent articles make clear that the Society, embodied in Yearly +Meeting in session and Meeting for Sufferings, is responsible for +amending the governing document, appointing Britain Yearly Meeting +trustees, approving their terms of reference and appointing their +clerks and treasurer. + +2. Area meetings in Scotland governing documents + + * North of Scotland Quaker Trust is evidently distinct from NSAM, but + I haven't found a governing document. + + * The governing document for the Religious Society of Friends + (Quakers) [in Britain] East Scotland Area Meeting (abbreviated as + East Scotland Area Meeting) does not make any overt distinction + between the charity and the church, although the phrases "(East + Scotland) Area Meeting in session" clearly refer to the church, and + in "3. Object The object of East Scotland Area Meeting" it is + evidently the charity. + + This sentence is of note: "If at a meeting of East Scotland Area + Meeting the members decide that it is necessary or advisable to + dissolve the Area Meeting or to amalgamate with another Area + Meeting _and this is agreed by Meeting for Sufferings_, the + trustees shall have the power to realise any assets held by or on + behalf of the Area Meeting." [Emphasis added] + + * The governing document for the Religious Society of Friends + (Quakers) in Britain: South East Scotland Area Meeting [referred to + below as South East Scotland Area Meeting or the area meeting and + formerly known as South East Scotland Monthly Meeting] likewise + does not make any overt distinction between the church and the + charity, to my embarassment. "Subject to the matters set out below + the resources of the area meeting shall be administered in + accordance with this governing document by the trustees..." is + clearly talking about the charity, whereas "Amendments to this + governing document shall be agreed by South East Scotland Area + Meeting in session and recorded by minute of the area meeting." + it's the church. The dissolution clause is the same as for East + Scotland above. + + * I can't find a governing document for whatever charity is + associated with West of Scotland + + * Dundee Friends Property Trust + + * General Meeting for Scotland + +Registering officers +Prison visitors